The system Ce-Ag-Sn: phase equilibria and magnetic properties

Phase relations in the ternary system Ce-Ag-Sn have been established for an isothermal section at 750 degrees C. Experimental techniques used were opt ical microscopy, EPMA and X-ray powder analysis of are-melted samples which had been annealed at 750 degrees C for 10 days and quenched to room temper ature. Phases equilibria are characterized by the formation of three ternar y compounds: CeAgSn (CaIn2-type), Ce5AgSn3 (Hf5CuSn3-type), and Ce3Ag4Sn4 ( Gd3Cu4Ge4-type), CeAg2Sn2, earlier reported to form and crystallize in the CaBe2Ge2-type, was not observed in the present study. All these ternary pha ses order magnetically at low temperature; our measurements reveal that Ce5 AgSn3 is ferromagnetic below T-C = 5 K, and Ce3Ag4Sn4 is antiferromagnetic below T-N = 9 K, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.